Intelligence Test Redux

Today I was covering an 8th grade science class. They had a test.

It's common practice for teachers to number their tests. That way it's easy for me to see if I've gotten all of the tests back. I usually fan them out so I can insert each test into its proper spot in the number order as students turn their tests in. So, when the last student turns in his/her test, the tests are already in order.

The trick is to get the kids to figure out what I'm up to, so instead of just putting the test on top of the pile, they file the tests in themselves. And since the room is (supposed to be) silent, the idea is to get them to figure it out without my explaining.

I've done this sort of thing before.

Usually, the kids figure it out and start putting their tests in the right order. But today I was dealing with 8th graders. They didn't get it. I had maybe five students catch on. Five students...all day.

It didn't matter how I had the tests lined up. Every student put his/her test on top of the thing. I even had one kid who took my fanned out system and "neatened" it into one stacked pile. Ugh!

Of course, I had other things to worry about. I had one student actually whisper to a neighbor, "What is the answer to number three?" Seriously.

In total I caught two cheaters and two students who were acting suspiciously. So, the day wasn't a total loss.

Extra Credit

"I don't have anything to do at home."

"My parent(s) won't believe me if I say I don't have any homework."

"But I like to do homework."

And my personal favorite: "I don't get enough homework."

These are all excuses I have heard at one time or another. They are lies.

The specific assignment is irrelevant--usually answering questions or doing math problems or the like. The instruction is for the students to start the assignment in class and finish it up for homework.

The above excuses are the explanation for why the student has not started the assignment in class. (The students who've offered that last one in the past get honorable mention in my note to the teacher. If they don't get enough homework, then their teacher needs to know.)

What is the student doing instead of the assignment? That's the problem.

So, it was nice to have this line in the lesson plan today: "If the students finish the assignment and turn it into you by the end of the period, they will get extra credit."

I told each period this. And most of the students did the assignment and turned it in. I had very few battles with students over doing their work (and not goofing off).

Except for the boy in 6th period. Extra credit? He didn't need extra credit.

Oh, so he had an A? With extra credit, he could turn that into an A+.

He told me that he was happy with an A. He didn't "need" an A+.

What? He didn't want to shock his parents?

Stuck

KROQ-FM was having another Roq-of-the-'90s weekend this past weekend. They did this a couple weeks ago as well.

The choice of decade didn't bother me too much. We're moving into a new decade, so it's sort of fitting. But something did bother me about the theme.

I enjoyed it way too much.

I spent so much effort trying not to get stuck in the '80s. I didn't want to turn into one of those people who only listens to "oldies" stations (the kids' word, not mine). I wanted to remain fairly current.

I spent time listening to current radio. I turned the station when too many of the songs resonated from my childhood. I tried to favor the newer stuff.

I thought I succeeded. I was not stuck in the '80s. Unfortunately, it turns out that I got stuck in the '90s.

It's time to go back to the drawing board.

Unpronounced

Today I had special ed. The 1st period class was reading The Secret Life of Bees.

The five students and I sat around a table. One student read until he felt like he read enough (about three paragraphs), and then the next student would read. Once she read as far as she felt like reading, she passed it on to the girl next to her. And so on.

Being a special ed. class, the students stumbled over words. They made a mess pronouncing some words that I didn't expect. But they asked for clarification when we hit words they didn't understand (I explained what the author meant by "pulpit voice" for example). And they tried to pronounce every word, even if they struggled.

Well, almost every word.

Being set in 1964 in the South, a certain racial epithet appeared more than once. And every student skipped it.

I didn't object. I wouldn't want to say that word either.

Usually, in that situation, one or two students would read the word as it is part of the text. But not this time. They all seemed offended by it. They weren't going anywhere near it.

We made decent progress in the book. And I didn't have to fight them once we got started. That's what I consider a pretty good class.

"New" Student

"I'm a new student. Where do I sit?"

Oscar waited until after the bell rang to ask. Usually new students find me when they first enter the room. And he was sitting in the one empty seat in the room. This was my warning.

I assigned Oscar that empty seat, and then I began class. They were to outline the next section in the textbook. Then they were to answer questions. It was a pretty straightforward assignment--standard stuff for a sub day.

As this was a freshman class (health), I walked the room to make sure that they got started. I had to stand over a couple of them as they fumbled with their folders (before I got there they made no attempt to find their materials). As I passed by, Oscar waved me over.

"I'm new. What do I need to do?"

The student seated next to Oscar asked why he was playing. Oscar repeated that he was a new student. I took Oscar's schedule which was out on his desk (the schedule I consulted to verify that he belonged in the class), flipped it over, and pointed to the "returning student" handwritten at the top.

"But that doesn't mean I was in this class before."

Not more than two minutes later, a student a couple seats behind noticed Oscar. "Oscar, you're back," he said.

The students around them laughed. They wondered why it took the boy so long to notice that Oscar was there.

Just to make sure, I flipped through the roll book. Sure enough, Oscar had been enrolled in the class back in October. The seat I put him in had been his seat previously. I knew this because Oscar's name had been erased.

What was the purpose of him telling me that he was new? And why did he keep insisting he was new, all evidence to the contrary?

I explained the assignment to him anyway. He ignored me. He didn't do any work.

Sigh. Freshmen. Sometimes they make no sense whatsoever.

My New Jacket

I just got a friendly email telling me that my clothing order has shipped. I should receive it in a day or two.

I finally broke down and ordered a winter coat. It wouldn't help me in a place where they have real winter--snow and below freezing temperatures, but it's just the right weight for winter in So. Cal.

I had been eyeing that jacket for a while now. Months. Then it got really cold (well, cold for So. Cal.). But I still waited.

Then the after-Christmas/end-of-year sales hit. The jacket was $75. I got it for $30. (I also broke down and bought some long sleeve shirts. I had two.)

So, of course, the "winter" weather has gone away. Today I'm wearing shorts. We're forecasted to have temperatures in the mid-70s. That seems accurate. I have all the doors and windows open.

This probably isn't the end of the cooler weather. And next year I will need that coat when we get our week of very cold temps. But somehow, I feel like I timed this all wrong.

Magnetic North

So, yeah, I haven't had a whole lot to say lately. But it's a new year, so I thought I should check in.

I came across this article, and I thought I would share. If the magnetic north pole is shifting, what is happening to the south pole? And are we getting ready for a magnetic reversal?

These are not questions that keep me up at night, but they are questions that I do ponder from time to time. Right now I have the time as nothing is on TV.